Applied Family Therapy Journal (AFTJ)

The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Psychological Flexibility and Marital Burnout in Couples with Family Problems

Mahboobe Hossein Alizadeh ^* iD , Fatemeh Karimi iD , Najmeh Salarkarimi iD , Bita Pourbaba iD , Fateme Tarchani iD

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on psychological flexibility and marital burnout among couples with family problems.

Methods and Materials: The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with an experimental group and a control group. The statistical population consisted of couples with family problems who referred to counseling centers in Tehran, Iran, during 2025–2026. Using convenience sampling, 32 participants who had relatively low psychological flexibility and high marital burnout scores were selected and assigned to experimental and control groups, with 16 participants in each group. Data were collected using the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory developed by Dennis and Vander Wal and the Couple Burnout Measure developed by Pines. The experimental group received eight weekly 90-minute sessions of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, whereas the control group received no structured psychological intervention during the study period. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance after examination of the required statistical assumptions.

Findings: After controlling for pretest scores, the effect of group on posttest psychological flexibility was statistically significant, F = 41.71, p < .001, η² = .57, indicating significantly greater psychological flexibility in the experimental group following the intervention. The pretest covariate for psychological flexibility was also significant, F = 32.69, p < .001, η² = .56. In addition, the effect of group on posttest marital burnout was statistically significant after controlling for baseline scores, F = 45.41, p < .001, η² = .55, indicating a significant reduction in marital burnout in the experimental group compared with the control group. The pretest marital burnout covariate was likewise significant, F = 33.39, p < .001, η² = .59.

Conclusion: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was effective in increasing psychological flexibility and reducing marital burnout among couples with family problems, suggesting that ACT can be considered a useful intervention for improving adaptive psychological functioning and reducing relational exhaustion in distressed couples.

Modeling Marital Burnout Based on Love Styles with the Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Strategies among Married Adults in Bushehr

Azam Ebrahimi iD , Majid Barzegar ^* iD , Nadereh Sohrabi iD , Maryam Zarnaghash iD

Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a structural model of marital burnout based on love styles, with emotion regulation strategies as mediating variables among married women and men in Bushehr, Iran.

Methods and Materials: This applied study employed a descriptive-correlational design and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the proposed relationships among the study variables. The statistical population consisted of married women and men attending selected centers in Bushehr, Iran, in 2025. A total of 420 eligible participants were recruited through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Pines Marital Burnout Questionnaire (1996), the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire developed by Gross and John (2003), and Sternberg’s Love Scale (1986). Pearson correlation analysis and path analysis within the SEM framework were used to evaluate direct and indirect relationships among love styles, emotion regulation strategies, and marital burnout.

Findings: The inferential analyses indicated that the dimensions of love, including passion, intimacy, and commitment, exerted significant indirect effects on marital burnout through the mediating roles of emotion regulation strategies, namely cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Love styles significantly predicted the use of emotion regulation strategies, which, in turn, were significantly associated with marital burnout. Accordingly, variations in emotion regulation contributed to either decreasing or increasing marital burnout depending on the regulatory strategy employed. The indirect pathways linking love dimensions to marital burnout through emotion regulation were statistically significant. Furthermore, the proposed structural model demonstrated an acceptable overall fit to the observed data, and the model fit indices supported the adequacy of the hypothesized relationships among the constructs (p < .01).

Conclusion: The findings support an integrated explanatory model in which love styles are associated with marital burnout partly through emotion regulation processes. These results highlight emotion regulation as an important psychological mechanism connecting the quality of romantic love with marital functioning and suggest that interventions aimed at strengthening adaptive emotion regulation and constructive dimensions of love may contribute to reducing marital burnout and improving marital relationship quality.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Training and Self-Compassion Training on Resilience, Anxiety, and Parent–Child Relationships in Parents of Children with Autism

Shirin Allaf Sharifi iD , Elham Hakimi Rad ^* iD , Leila Kashani Vahid iD

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) training and self-compassion training on resilience, anxiety, and parent–child relationships among parents of children with autism.

Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with two intervention groups and one control group, together with a one-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of parents of children with autism in Tehran, Iran. Using convenience sampling, 60 eligible participants were selected and randomly assigned to three groups of 20 participants: EFT training, self-compassion training, and control. Data were collected using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, the anxiety subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), and Pianta’s Parent–Child Relationship Scale. The intervention groups received their respective training programs, while the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons in SPSS version 26.

Findings: Analysis of covariance showed significant group effects on resilience, F(2,52)=10.843, p<.001, partial η²=.294; anxiety, F(2,52)=3.252, p=.047, partial η²=.111; conflict, F(2,52)=11.922, p<.001, partial η²=.314; intimacy, F(2,52)=14.110, p<.001, partial η²=.352; and dependency, F(2,52)=4.423, p=.017, partial η²=.145. Bonferroni comparisons indicated that both EFT and self-compassion training significantly improved resilience and intimacy and reduced anxiety and conflict compared with the control group. EFT produced a significantly greater improvement in resilience than self-compassion training (p=.032). EFT also significantly reduced dependency compared with the control group (p=.016), whereas the effect of self-compassion training on dependency was not significant.

Conclusion: Both EFT and self-compassion training were effective in improving psychological and relational outcomes among parents of children with autism, although EFT demonstrated greater effectiveness in enhancing resilience and showed a significant advantage in reducing parent–child dependency.

Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Family Therapy on Marital Intimacy and Psychological Flexibility in Couples with Marital Conflict

Narjes Derakhshandeh iD , Niloofar Mikaili Baghi ^* iD , Masomeh Rahimian iD

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of emotion-focused family therapy in improving marital intimacy and psychological flexibility among couples experiencing marital conflict.

Methods and Materials: This applied study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of couples with marital conflict who attended counseling and family service centers in 2026. Using purposive sampling, 30 couples were recruited and randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group, with 15 couples in each group. The experimental group received emotion-focused family therapy, whereas the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the Thompson and Walker Marital Intimacy Scale and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory developed by Dennis and Vander Wal. The collected data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) followed by univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS version 26, with pretest scores statistically controlled when examining posttest differences between the groups.

Findings: The multivariate analysis indicated that the overall effect of group membership on the combined dependent variables was statistically significant (p < .001), demonstrating a significant difference between the experimental and control groups after controlling for baseline scores. The univariate analyses further showed that emotion-focused family therapy produced a significant increase in marital intimacy compared with the control condition, F(1, 26) = 22.17, p < .001, partial η² = .460. A statistically significant intervention effect was also observed for psychological flexibility, F(1, 26) = 21.25, p < .001, partial η² = .450. The effect sizes indicated that approximately 46.0% of the adjusted variance in marital intimacy and 45.0% of the adjusted variance in psychological flexibility were attributable to group membership, supporting a substantial intervention effect on both outcomes.

Conclusion: Emotion-focused family therapy appears to be an effective intervention for enhancing marital intimacy and psychological flexibility among couples experiencing marital conflict. By facilitating emotional experience and regulation, restructuring maladaptive interactional patterns, and strengthening emotional connection between partners, this therapeutic approach may improve both relational closeness and couples’ capacity to respond flexibly to stressful interpersonal situations. Its application in couple and family counseling settings is therefore supported, while future studies should examine the durability of these effects using larger samples and long-term follow-up assessments.

Designing a Conceptual Model of Family Relationship Quality among Adoptive Couples: A Meta-Synthesis Study

Nafiseh Mostafaee iD , Mahdi Zare Bahramabadi ^* iD , Atefeh Nezhad Mohamad Namaghi iD , Alireza Pirkhaefi iD

Objective: This study aimed to develop a comprehensive conceptual model of family relationship quality among adoptive couples by synthesizing evidence from previous qualitative and empirical studies.

Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted using a meta-synthesis approach based on the seven-step model proposed by Sandelowski and Barroso (2007). A systematic search was performed in relevant national and international scientific databases using keywords related to adoption, adoptive couples, family relationships, marital relationships, parent–child relationships, and family cohesion. After identifying potentially relevant records, the studies were screened according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and subsequently subjected to methodological quality appraisal. Ultimately, 20 eligible articles were included in the final synthesis. Data extracted from the selected studies were organized into initial codes and analyzed through secondary coding, conceptual comparison, and thematic integration. The codes were progressively classified into concepts, categories, and overarching themes to construct the final conceptual model.

Findings: The meta-synthesis indicated that family relationship quality among adoptive couples is a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by the interaction of psychological–identity, relational, and sociocultural factors. Psychological and identity-related challenges included unresolved infertility grief, anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, and difficulties in reconstructing parental identity. At the relational level, the quality of parent–child attachment, marital cohesion, emotional communication, mutual support, and adaptive patterns of interaction emerged as central determinants of family stability. Sociocultural influences included adoption-related stigma, social pressure, cultural attitudes, and limitations in formal and institutional support. Conversely, adequate social support, access to counseling services, cultural acceptance, and supportive family environments facilitated psychological adjustment, relational cohesion, and positive adaptation following adoption.

Conclusion: Adoption should be conceptualized as a dynamic and transformative family process rather than a single event. The proposed model demonstrates that favorable family relationships emerge through the reciprocal interaction of psychological adjustment, effective couple and parent–child relationships, and supportive sociocultural conditions. The model may provide a useful framework for assessment, counseling, and interventions designed to strengthen family functioning among adoptive couples.

Exploring the Lived Experiences of Couples Experiencing Emotional Divorce: A Phenomenological Study

Saeideh Golkar iD , Hasan Heydari ^* iD , Hossein Davoudi iD

Objective: This study aimed to explore and describe the lived experiences of couples experiencing emotional divorce and to identify the principal dimensions through which this phenomenon is perceived and experienced.

Methods and Materials: This qualitative study employed a descriptive phenomenological design based on Colaizzi’s approach. Twelve participants with lived experience of emotional divorce were selected through purposive sampling and participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews. Following verbatim transcription, the interview data were systematically coded and analyzed according to Colaizzi’s seven-step phenomenological method to identify significant statements, formulated meanings, thematic clusters, and overarching themes. MAXQDA 2020 software was used for data management and coding. To enhance the credibility and dependability of the findings, several rigor-enhancing strategies were applied, including member checking with 10 participants, review and evaluation of the findings by three experts, and the involvement of 24 individuals in different stages of the data analysis and validation process.

Findings: The phenomenological analysis yielded five overarching themes representing the core dimensions of emotional divorce: cognitive factors, emotional-regulatory factors, affective factors, communicational factors, and sexual factors. The participants’ accounts indicated that emotional divorce was experienced not as an abrupt relational rupture but as a progressive and multidimensional process involving the gradual erosion of cognitive engagement, emotional connection, affection, constructive communication, and sexual intimacy. These dimensions appeared to interact dynamically, generating a self-reinforcing cycle characterized by increasing emotional coldness, psychological distancing, relational disengagement, and declining hope for restoration of the marital relationship.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of developing multidimensional couple-centered interventions and integrating communication skills training, emotion regulation, and emotional-sexual literacy into culturally sensitive preventive and therapeutic programs for Iranian couples.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Parent Management Training and Life Therapy on Feelings of Shame and Guilt Among Mothers of Children with Autism in Sari

Aref Zolfaghar Roshan iD , Seyed Abdolmajid Bahrainian ^* iD , Fatemeh Shahabizadeh iD

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Parent Management Training (PMT) and Life Therapy in reducing feelings of shame and guilt among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Sari, Iran.

Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest control-group design with a three-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of mothers aged 25–45 years who had children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and were living in Sari during 2025–2026. A total of 45 eligible mothers were selected through purposive sampling based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria and were subsequently assigned by simple random allocation to three equal groups: Parent Management Training, Life Therapy, and control. Feelings of shame and guilt were assessed using the Shame and Guilt Scale developed by Cohen et al. (2011). The intervention groups received their respective therapeutic programs, whereas the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were analyzed using mixed-design repeated-measures analysis of variance in SPSS version 26.

Findings: Mixed repeated-measures analysis of variance demonstrated significant changes in feelings of shame and guilt across measurement occasions and significant differences between the experimental and control conditions (p < .05). Both Parent Management Training and Life Therapy significantly reduced shame and guilt compared with the control group. Furthermore, a statistically significant difference was observed between the two intervention groups (p < .05), with Life Therapy producing greater reductions in feelings of shame and guilt than Parent Management Training. The difference between posttest and three-month follow-up scores was not statistically significant, indicating that the therapeutic improvements achieved following the interventions were maintained over time.

Conclusion: Both Parent Management Training and Life Therapy appear to be effective psychological interventions for reducing shame and guilt among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. However, Life Therapy demonstrated comparatively greater effectiveness. These interventions, particularly Life Therapy, may therefore be incorporated into psychological and supportive programs designed to promote the mental health and emotional well-being of mothers caring for children with ASD.

The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation in the Relationship Between Attachment Insecurity, Perceived Partner Responsiveness, and Marital Satisfaction Among Female Student-Teachers at Farhangian University

Allah Nazar Alisofi ^* iD

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationships between attachment insecurity, perceived partner responsiveness, and marital satisfaction among female student-teachers at Farhangian University.

Methods and Materials: The present study employed a descriptive-correlational, cross-sectional design using structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of married female student-teachers enrolled at Farhangian University campuses in Tehran during the 2025–2026 academic year. A total of 320 participants were selected through a multistage convenience sampling procedure. Data were collected using the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised Questionnaire, the Perceived Partner Responsiveness Scale, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics and AMOS. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to examine bivariate relationships among the study variables, and structural equation modeling was applied to assess direct and indirect effects. The significance of mediation effects was evaluated using a bootstrap procedure with 5,000 resamples and 95% confidence intervals.

Findings: Attachment insecurity had a significant positive effect on emotion regulation difficulties (β = .56, p < .001) and a significant negative effect on marital satisfaction (β = -.24, p < .001). Perceived partner responsiveness significantly predicted lower emotion regulation difficulties (β = -.31, p < .001) and higher marital satisfaction (β = .39, p < .001). Emotion regulation difficulties also significantly predicted lower marital satisfaction (β = -.32, p < .001). Bootstrap analysis showed that emotion regulation difficulties significantly mediated the relationship between attachment insecurity and marital satisfaction (β = -.18, 95% CI [-.25, -.12]) and the relationship between perceived partner responsiveness and marital satisfaction (β = .10, 95% CI [.06, .15]). The model explained 52% of the variance in emotion regulation difficulties and 63% of the variance in marital satisfaction.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that emotion regulation is a significant partial mediator linking attachment insecurity and perceived partner responsiveness with marital satisfaction, suggesting that both attachment-related vulnerability and perceived relational responsiveness influence marital adjustment partly through emotional regulatory processes.

Applied Family Therapy Journal (AFTJ)

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The Effectiveness of Systemic-Behavioral Couples Therapy (SBCT) in Enhancing Relationship Outcomes Among Spouses of Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease

The Mediating Role of Frustration Tolerance in the Relationship Between Early Maladaptive Schemas, Self-Differentiation, and Marital Conflict in Individuals Applying for Divorce

Development of a Neuropsychological Questionnaire for Marital Conflicts and Examination of Its Psychometric Properties in Iran

Comparison of Compassion-Based Positive Couple Therapy and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy on Emotional Experience Toward Spouse Among Young Couples in Tehran

The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Marital Inhibition and Emotional Intimacy among Women in Second Marriages

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Schema Therapy on Emotional Exhaustion and Attachment Styles in Women with Marital Conflict

The Metaverse and the Reconsideration of Pure Reason: Identity and Ethical Crises in Relation to Women and Family from a Psychological Perspective

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Emotion-Focused Therapy on Hope and Family Cohesion in Incompatible Couples

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Choice Theory-Based Therapy on Post-Traumatic Growth in Divorced Women with Divorce Grief

Predicting Marital Burnout from Emotional Intimacy and Perceived Partner Responsiveness: The Mediating Role of Dyadic Coping

Predicting Family Functioning from Parental Stress and Coparenting Quality: The Mediating Role of Family Communication

Predicting Couple Relationship Quality from Adult Attachment and Emotional Intelligence: The Mediating Role of Empathic Communication

LightGBM-Based Prediction of Marital Satisfaction Using Emotional, Sexual, and Communication Indicators

Predicting Marital Satisfaction Using Random Forest Based on Attachment, Communication, Intimacy, and Conflict Indicators

Predicting Parenting Self-Efficacy from Parental Mindfulness and Perceived Social Support: The Moderating Role of Parenting Stress

Deep Neural Network Prediction of Couple Relationship Quality Using Multidimensional Relational and Psychological Features

Identifying the Determinants of Effective Coparenting Among Dual-Earner Couples: A Qualitative Inquiry

Exploring the Psychological and Relational Factors Shaping Marital Commitment in Long-Term Relationships

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